Inner-tube-inspection apparatus



Nov. 6, 1928.

' 1,690,164 J. R'. GAMMETER INNER'TUBENsPEcTIoN APPARATUS Filed May 2o, 1924 2 sheets-sheet 1 a l l I j l ,s L 1) l' U A 3 r Q i t t l A 1 M' W 1 N 13 "Il, Him' N zF- z 'r 14 t N LAAS: g o E 1. lli L 1x I 51 2:: f-z v A Elin- Nov. s, 192s. 1,690,164

y J. R. GAMMETER" INNER TUBE INSPECTION APPARATUS Filed May 20, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 zal jm/Pain? b/2f? i @f7/7:75a

-Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES refrain*v OFFICE.

TOEN B. GAIIETEB, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 THE B. GOODRICH COMBANY, Ol' i NEW YORK, NavY., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

INNER-TUBE-INSPECTION APPARATUS. v

Application led May 20,

This invention relates to apparatus for facilitating the inspection of hollow inflated l articles and particularly articles made of rubber, such as inner tubes for pneumatic I tires, which are commonly tested by the immersion of the inflated article in a liquid and the observation as to whether bubbles of air escape therefrom to the surface of the liquid, and it has for an object the provision of means which will permit the more expeditious inspection of inflated articles than has been heretofore possible.

The accompanying drawings show, by Way of example, an embodiment of my invention v adapted for the inspection of innertubes of pneumatic tires. This apparatus comprises a frame at thelower part of which is mounted a tank adapted to hold water. An endless conveyor is suitably dispose/d upon the frame 'in such a manner that the lower reach of the conveyor is below the level of the wa: ter in the tank, the upper reach ofthe con- 4 veyor passing along the top of the frame. At the receiving end of the apparatus is a chute leading into the tank, the apparatus being thus adapted to receive inflated inner` tubes from a conveyor or otherwise, and cause them to pass beneath the surface of the liquid to the delivery end of the machine where they are manually removed. Defective tubes are readily detected by the rising of bubbles therefrom through the liquid.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of my invention, and

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, I show at 10 a frame of suitable material, such as structural steel, having four corner uprights or posts 11 arranged in rectangular relation, longitudinal tie beams 12 and transverse tie beams 13. A. tank 15 is carried by the frame 10,l as by lower transverse beams 16, and extends beyond either end of the frame 10.

An endless conveyor of suitable construction is supported upon the frame. The conveyor may assume various forms and be constructed in a number of ways. It is essential, however, that the web of the conveyor be either of grid or 'latticed, or equivalent construction, to permit the ready detection of. air bubbles arising from the articles being tested. As illustrative of such a conveyor, I show four pairs of sprocket wheels 18, each 'extends outwardly beyond the ends of the 1924. Serial No. 714,669.

pair carried on a shaft 1 9. The shafts 19 are secured to the posts 11'in journal bearings 20 and are disposed in such manner as to support an endless chain 21 at either side of the frame. 'lhe chains 21 are ofthe usual link construction, certain s aced links 2,2 being provided with exteriorly projecting ears or lugs 23 to which transverse rods or slats 24 are secured. The lower reach 25 of the conveyor is so disposed as to be well beneath the surface of the liquid normally maintained in the tank 1 5 and indicated at 26. The up-n per reach 27 of the conveyor is elevated sufliciently above the lower reach 25 to permit an unobstructed view from the sides of the apparatus of the surface of the `liquid in the tank above the lower reach 25.

An inclined drain board 28 extends beneath the upper reach 27 of the conveyor to catch the drippings therefrom and to direct them back into the tank 15 at one end thereof, so

that the surface ofthe liquid abov'e the lower reach 25-`Qf the conveyor will not be disturbed by. he falling of drop'sof liquid from the upprreach` y r The conveyor` ma be driven'by any suitable mechai'iism;y kAs shown amotor 30 is supported upon the frame 10 by means of cross beams 31 and a conventional driving connection including a small driving sprocket 32, a larger driven sprocketf 33 mounted on one of the shafts 19,' and connecting chain 34 serves to transmit the necessary energy to actuate the conveyor.

As has, been' pointed out above, thev tank 15 frame 10. One of the protruding endsof the tank .10 is provided with an inclined chute 36, extending obliquely beneath the surface of the water and adaptedjto-receive the inflated articles to be inspected from a belt conveyor, or otherwise, and direct them beneath the water' surface and the entering end of the lower reach 25 of the conveyor. The other protruding end of the tank 15 10o permits the articles to be removed manually from the tank, where the defective articles may be separated from the perfect articles.

lt is in some machines of this charactery desirable to provide the conveyor with further means to prevent the articles being tested from risiig upwardly between the rods 24. This may be accomplished by spacing the rods 24 suliciently near together, or by the provision of spaced endless cords disticles mar posed in parallel relation to the chains 21. In the present construction, I have shown the latter arrangement consisting of a plurality of spaced cords 40 engaging the rods 24 at the side and lower reaches of the conveyor and passing over pulleys 4l and 42 above the upper reach 27 of the conveyor. The pulleys 42 are each mounted at one end of a bell crank lever 43, and the levers 43 are separately suppoited to swing about a rod 44 secured to the frame 10. The free ends of the bell crank levers 43 are provided with eyes 45 through which rods 46 pass. The rods 46 are secured at one end to any convenient portion of the frame, as shown, to one 'of the motor supporting beams 31, and the other ends of the rods 46, traversing the eyes 45 of the levers 43, are threaded and carry nuts 47. Springs 48 are inter osed between the nuts 47 and the eyes 45 an serve, upon adjustment of the nuts 47, to place the cords 40 under suitable tension.

In the operation of the device, infiated articles, such as inner tubes for pneumatic tires, are delivered to the chute and slide down into the liquid in the tank 15 beneath the end of the lower reach 25 of the conveyor. The conveyor travels in the direction shown b the arrow (Fig. 2) and the rods 24, or cor s 40, or both, catch the advanced portions of the inflated articles and draw them downwardly and forwardly beneath the surface of the liquid. Because of their buoyancy, the infiated articles bear upwardly against the conveyor and are carried slowly along under the surface-of the liquid to the delivery end of the tank. Inspectors are positioned at one or both sides of the tank where, by reason of the elevated position of the upper reach and the open construction of the conveyor, the in-4 fiated articles being inspected are in clear view. Air bubbles risin `from any article are readil detected, an the defectivearlied. Upon removing the articles from the tank, the defective are thus readily separated out.

The above described apparatus greatly facilitates the inspection of inflatedarticles, and effects a material saving in labor, time, and :door space over former immersion methods of inspection.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for facilitating the testing of hollow rubber articles as to air impermeability, in combination, a tank adapted to contain a liquid, means for directing the articles beneath the surface of the liquid, and means for causing said articles to traverse in generally horizontal paths beneath the surface of the liquid including means contacting only the uppermost surfaces of the said articles.

2. In apparatus for facilitating the testing of hollow rubber articles as to air impermeability, in combination, a tank adapted to contain a liquid, means at one end of the tank for directing the articles beneath the surface of the liquid, means for causing said articles to traverse in generally horizontal paths beneath the surface of the liquid including spaced fiexible cords extending in the direction of traverse of the articles and contacting said articles only on the uppermost surfaces thereof, and means for movin said cords longitudinally through the liquir 3. In apparatus for facilitating the testing of hollow rubber articles as to air impermeability, in combination, a tank adapted to contain a liquid, means at one end of the tank for directing the articles beneath the surface of the liquid, means for causing said articles to traverse in generally horizontal paths beneath the surface of the liquid including spaced Iiexible cords extending in the direction of traverse of the articles and contacting said articles only on the uppermost surfaces thereof, means for placing said cords under varying tension, and means for moving said cords longitudinally through the liquid.

4. In apparatus for facilitating the testing of hollow rubber articles rendered buoyant in liquids by inflation with air, in combination, a tank adapted to contain a liquid, means for causing the articles to traverse in generally horizontal paths beneath the surface of the liquid including means contacting only the uppermost surfaces of said articles in spaced positions of limited arcas and constructed to permit a shifting of the contact ing areas during the submerged traverse of the articles.

5. In apparatus for facilitating the testing of hollow rubber articles rendered buoyant in liquids by infiation with air, in combination, a tank adapted to contain liquid, means for causing the articles to traverse in generally horizontal paths beneath the surface of the liquid including a plurality of spaced cords disposed at sufficient distances from the bottom of the tank to permit a free passage of the articles therebetween.

6. In an apparatus for facilitating the* lflll contain a liquid, an endless conveyor them5 tank, said conveyor including a lurality of longitudinally extending an laterally spaced endless cords and means for maintaining said cords under a predetermined tension.

7. In. an apparatus for facilitating the testing of infiated articles, a tank adapted to contain a liquid, and an endless conveyor including a plurality of spaced slats extending transversely of the conveyor and a plurality of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced endless cords engaging the slats at least on the lower reach of the conveyor.

8. In an apparatus for facilitating the lower reach of whichv is disposed within thel erally s aced endless cords engaging the` slats at east on the lower reach ofthe' conveyor. v

9. Ina paratus for facilitating the testing of ho low rubber articles as to air impermeability, in combination, a tank adapted tocontain a liquid, an endless conveyor comprising an o en-work web presenting a generally smoot outer wo -contacting surface, the lower reach of said conveyor being disposed within the liquid of the tankl and spaced from the bottom thereof sufficiently to ermit a free unobstructed sage beneat the said lower reach of articles being tested.

10. In a paratus for facilitating the testing of hol ow articles rendered buoyant in liquids by inflation with air, in combination,

a tank adapted to contain liquid, and means for causing the buoyant articles to traverse the tank in art entirely beneath the surface of the liquid), said means be' the bottom ofthe tankto provide a free passage way for the articles'inl their traverse beneath the surface of the li uid. j 11. In apparatus for facilitating the testing of hol ow articles renderedbuoyantin liquids by ination withair, in combination, a tank adapted to contain liquid, and power actuated means for causing the buoyant articles to traverse the tank in part entirely beneath the surface of the liquid, said means being spaced from the bottom of the tank to provide a free pe way4 for the articles in their traverso beneath, the surface of the. liquid. v

12.' An apparatus for facilitating the inspaced from i l 15. A device for testin spection of inflated articles comprising a tank containing liquid, an endless conveyor having' a lattice-Work web and its lower reach within the li uid 'of the tank, its upper reach s aced t ereabove suiiiciently to ive an uno structed view of the liquid surace, and means for diverting liquid 'dripping from the upper reach, to prevent disturbanoe of the liquid surface.

1 3. An apparatus for facilitating the inspection of inflated -annular articles comprising a tank containing liquid, an endless conveyor having an open-work web and its lower reach within the liquid of the tank, its upper reach spaced thereabove sufficiently to give an unobstructed view of the liquid surace, and means for directing the article to be inspected edgewise into the liquid beneath the end of the said lower reach entering the liquid, whereby aI minimum disturbance of the surface liquid is occasioned.

14. An afparatus for facilitating the inspection o inflated annular articles comprising a tank containing liquid, an endless conveyor having an open work web and its lower reach within the liquid of the tank, its upper reach spaced thereabove siiiliciently to' give'an unobstructed view of the liquid surface, and means for gradually immersing the article to be inspected edgewise into the liquid beneath the end of the said lower reach entering the liquid.

inflatable articles comprising a testing tan a conveyor 'traveling through the tank, and means for feeding'the articles to the tank whereby they will be held against the under side of the conveyor by their buoyancy.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of May, 1924.

JOHN n. GAMMETER. 

